Catcher in the Rye
by Roaming Writer
Summary: An alternate universe where Chloe is still attending high school as a senior. She still feels the pain of the loss of her father. She hates everyone and everything in her life. Or so she thought...


**This is an Alternate Universe with many characters from LiS. In this story, Chloe and Max go to school in a different city than Arcadia Bay. I might just make this a single chapter. If you want more, lemme know in the reviews**

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It was so cramped in the subway, and Chloe could hardly breathe or even move around. She heard the announcements of train arrivals over the loud chattering of the crowd. She waited for train like she would every school day. Chloe despised high school with a passion, but she didn't plan to drop out. At least not yet.

The train rumbled loudly as it starting approaching the bustling platform. When the train stopped, people shoved each other to get in. When she entered the train, a smaller, short-haired, brunette girl squeezed her way in front of her, holding onto her passenger bag tightly.

Chloe couldn't help but chuckle to herself, remembering how she used to be like that girl, when she would still be determined to get to school. Life was different when she was a sophomore. But after her father died halfway through her sophomore year, she found no more motivation to finish her junior year and now senior year.

The brunette moved to enter the train, but she was violently knocked over by a large man twice the size of her, who cursed at her, telling her to watch where she was going. She dropped her Polaroid causing it to slide across the platform. _Wow, what a fucking dick. Maybe I should help the girl out._

Chloe quickly shoved her way past a small crowd of people and picked up the Polaroid, bringing it back to the brunette who was still laying on the ground, clutching her bruised arm.

"Thanks.." the girl replied sheepishly, looking up at Chloe with slightly wet eyes.

Chloe extended her hand to pull the girl up to her feet.

"Don't mention it," Chloe replied.

 _Poor girl…_ Chloe couldn't help but feel bad for her, an innocent girl in a nasty world.

Both of them waited on the platform next to each other until the next train arrived. They entered the crowded train, squeezing through the cramped entrance. When they were inside, their shoulders were pushed together by the dense crowd in the train.

Chloe noticed the girl fiddle with her camera in one hand while holding onto the bar with the other hand. _Wow, she's hella nervous._

Despite this, Max smiled at Chloe gratefully. "Thanks, for what happened back there. You didn't have to do that."

"Hey, I'm only a good samaritan for pretty girls."

The girl giggled at this flirtatious comment. "Well, I guess you'd be the white knight right?" she joked back.

"I'm more of a… dark knight myself."

"Hmm, more like a blue knight," she replied pointing at Chloe's blue hair.

They both shared a quick laugh, which drew some eyes from the commuters on the train.

"So… what's your name?" Chloe shifted her body weight so that her shoulder no longer pressed against the girl's

"It's Maxine, but people call me Max."

"I'm Chloe. Where are you headed?"

"I'm on my way to Blackwell University," she answered.

"No way, I'm headed there too. What classes do you have?"

Chloe was glad that she went to the same school as her. For some reason, she already started to take a liking to Max.

"I have the regular junior year schedule and a photography elective class."

"Wow, you must be good at photography."

This made Max noticeably excited, clearly happy at the opportunity to talk about photography. "Yeah, I really enjoy photography. I feel like it's a way for me to see the world differently."

Chloe returned a smile. "I wish I had a cool hobby like that. All I do for fun is smoke weed."

The brunette chuckled a little at her comment. "I see you around sometimes, at school. I remember your blue hair."

This surprised Chloe, who never remembered seeing Max at school. Then again she usually didn't care or pay attention to other people much.

"Yeah I guess you can say I stand out. I'm not sure that I ever see you around school though"

"Yeah, I'm usually pretty shy. People don't notice me much."

"Well, one thing I can say is that you're a cool gal. I'm sure everyone is missing out," Chloe said, giving Max a small elbow nudge.

"Thanks Chloe, I'm glad I have someone who noticed me now," she said, gesturing her hand at Chloe.

They continued to chat with each other, until the they arrived at the station. They got off the train and headed towards Blackwell. The two girls walked down the busy street, talking about their favorite types of music or favorite movies. All Chloe learned was that Max likes indie music and sci fi movies. Chloe was more of a rock music and horror movie type of person, but she figured that Max probably wouldn't be into they parted ways for the school day, Chloe felt something she never felt before. She felt kinda giddy as if she was a little girl again. What was this feeling?

In her first period english class, Chloe couldn't stop thinking about Max. She didn't have many friends in school, or at least any normal friends who didn't smoke weed or sneak out at night to watch a rock concert at a sketchy neighborhood. It didn't help that people seemed to ignore Chloe, who was seen as that blue-haired punk who had a dead father and fails all her classes. But then again, wasn't that who Chloe was? Normally people pushed her away. But not Max. She didn't only welcome Chloe when they spoke, but her genuineness really resonated with Chloe. When she would talk with other people, she knew that they just wanted to end the conversation. After all, who wants to talk with a girl who always complained about her life?

Chloe's trance was broken by a gruff voice.

"Ms Price, since you are zoning out in class, care to explain what the main theme of Catcher in the Rye is?

 _Fuck_ , Chloe hated English the most, and hated being called on by Mr Smith

"Ugh…"

"You, Chloe, clearly have no idea. So instead of daydreaming in my class do the assigned readings and listen in class. The play's about the struggles of a teenager, who deals with his inner conflicts with school, depression, and family..."

Chloe listened to Smith rant on about how Holden Caulfield's cynicism and disdain for socializing may stem from his own childhood problems. Chloe could relate to Holden, who, much like her, hated phoniness. They both hated almost everybody in the world including their parents, and everyone at school, but found a one person that they love. For Holden it was his sister Phoebe. For Chloe, it was Max. Maybe she liked Max like a sister, a friend. But maybe it was something more. They've only just met, but Chloe knew it was something special.

One thing that Chloe never really understood was who is the Catcher in the Rye? From her knowledge, and Mr Smith's ranting, it was supposed to be Holden's misinterpretation about a poem. To Holden, it meant protecting and preserving innocence of loved ones, particularly Phoebe. But the book never made it clear. Was Holden Caulfield the Catcher in the Rye?

After a long day of school, Chloe met up again with Max. After her last period, Chloe headed to the nearby park where she saw Max sitting on a bench reading Romeo and Juliet. Chloe always hated Shakespeare and his plays, but there was something cool about committing suicide with a loved one, though she would probably never have the guts to do it. Before she could finish her thought, Max peered over her book and noticed Chloe.

"Chloe!" she called out, waving her hands to signal for the blue haired girl.

Chloe couldn't help but smile about how innocent and sweet Max was. It's funny that such a good girl like her ended up being friends with a blue haired punk like herself. Chloe quickly headed over and plopped down on the bench next to Max.

"So, how was your day Chloe?"

"Same shitty day as always"

"Wowzers I'm sorry I asked," she replied jokingly.

"Wowzers? Who says that anymore?" Chloe remarked.

Max laughed a little at Chloe's abrupt statement.

"Yeah I just pick up some weird speaking habits every now and then."

"Nah it's not weird. It's pretty cute." Chloe reached over and brushed a strand of hair from Max's eyes.

Max started to blush and fiddle with her camera a little.

 _Shit maybe that was too soon. Great job dumbass you made her uncomfortable._

To break the awkward moment Chloe asked an icebreaker. "So, where are you from anyways? Were you born here?"

"I'm actually from Arcadia Bay, Oregon. But I did move to Seattle for a while"

"Damn, you're from the West Coast?"

"Yeah I came here because I heard that Blackwell had a good photography program."

"Well I'm glad you moved here. One more person to hangout with in this hell hole."

But Max didn't reply. All she did was look at Chloe with her sweet blue eyes.

"Max, are you ok?"

The brunette reached her hand out on Chloe's shoulder, reassuring her. "I can tell that you are hurting Chloe. When I see you at school, I can tell you aren't happy there. What happened to you?"

Chloe shifted her sitting position and stared intensely in Max's eyes. "I don't always tell people this but my life has been dipped with shit ever since…my dad died."

Chloe clenched her fist as she recollected the torture she felt waiting for her dad to come home but he never did. How her mom married a tool of a stepfather. Max wrapped her arm across Chloe's back, trying to comfort her. "Oh I'm so sorry Chloe, we don't need to talk about this if you don't want to."

"It's fine, I'm just pissed at this school and i guess my life." Chloe took a deep breathe and let out a sigh, forcing a smile on her own face.

"Sounds like you need someone to confide in," the brunette replied, leaning her head in the crook of Chloe's arm.

"Well, I'm glad I met you Max."

Chloe looked at Max, who was cuddled up against her on the bench. She felt the strong breeze blow and noticed white snowflakes started falling from the sky. She felt something she couldn't explain. A feeling of pure bliss that she had never felt before. It was so nice, seeing the beautiful white flakes fill the sky. But instead of feeling the cold harsh winds, she felt the girl next to her, breathing and radiating heat.

Then it dawned on Chloe. She was the Catcher in the Rye.


End file.
